Tamyrik Fields of Hanoi Buffaloes drives to the basket under heavy defence from Ho Chi Minh City Wings at Hồ Xuân Hương Gymnasium. Photo courtesy of VBA

HCM CITY – The Hanoi Buffaloes have secured the Supporter’s Cup and the regular season title in the VBA STAR X after a commanding 100-90 win over Ho Chi Minh City Wings on Saturday at Hồ Xuân Hương Gymnasium in HCM City.

The visitors maintained their unbeaten record while the hosts were seeking their third victory of the season. Both sides made changes to their starting lineups, with the capital team fielding veteran Đinh Tiến Công from the outset, while the HCM City side replaced Mongolian import Sanchir Tsagaanbaatar with Trần Quang Duy.

In the first quarter, the Buffaloes displayed a fluid, versatile playing style, spearheaded by the penetration and playmaking of DaQuan Bracey. On the other end, Trần Đăng Khoa took charge for the hosts, attacking relentlessly in the paint. With efficient offensive schemes, the visitors quickly built a 30-20 lead.

In the second quarter, despite holding a comfortable advantage, coach Matt Van Pelt rotated in his bench players. The hosts capitalised on the changes, with Đậu Trung Kiên and Nathan Triết Huỳnh leading a surge to overturn the deficit.

The visitors had to bring back their top scorers to regain control, trimming the gap to 52-46 at halftime.

The third quarter saw Bracey and Tamyrik Fields explode, combining for 21 points to help the Buffaloes erase the deficit and open up a double-digit lead. While Dakota Zinser fought hard to keep the Wings in contention, the home side still trailed 67-76 entering the final period.

In the last quarter, Sanchir Tsagaanbaatar’s unexpected scoring burst briefly gave the hosts hope, but once the Mongolian cooled off, the depleted Wings struggled. With plenty of fresh legs led by Lian Ramiro, the visitors closed out the match comfortably.

Fields, the league’s leading scorer at centre, claimed Player of the Game honours with 33 points and 12 rebounds. 

“Tonight, we showed great team spirit. Even when trailing, we stayed determined to fight back. Sharing the load, trusting each other and executing our plays kept our winning streak alive,” Fields said.

The Buffaloes dominated early, weathered the Wings’ comeback and asserted control through their star power and depth. As in previous victories, nearly every Buffaloes player contributed on the scoresheet. For the hosts, Đậu Trung Kiên impressed with 20 points, while Tsagaanbaatar added 15.

The standings remained unchanged, with Hanoi Buffaloes (14 wins) at the top and Ho Chi Minh City Wings (two wins, 15 losses) in sixth. Regardless of the outcomes in the remaining matches, the Buffaloes’ perfect 14-game run has already secured them the regular season crown. VNS